Got a scoop request? An anonymous tip you’re dying to share? Just want to say hello? Send any/all of the above to askausiello@tvline.com

Question: Here’s my burning Gossip Girl finale question: How do we know Dan and Serena got married in that flash-forward? We didn’t actually see them exchange vows. —CarmenAusiello: Great, conspiracy-obsessed minds think alike, Carmen. I too wondered why exec producers Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz opted not to show the two of them tying the knot. For all we know, Jenny had a bomb strapped to her back that was set to detonate right after the cameras cut away — retaliation for the role her brother/Gossip Girl played in running her out of town. Stranger things have happened. So, what say you Ms. Savage? “Dan and Serena do, in fact, get married.” Hmmm…until I see more evidence, I remain suspicious.

Question: Any Big Bang Theory scoop? —KirstyAusiello: It was bound to happen — the geek squad will be making their way to (a rough facsimile of) Comic-Con in the new year. “We are going to touch upon our first look at the guys taking a trip to a comic-book convention,” exec producer Steve Molaro tells TVLine exclusively. “And that will be a fun one. That’s looming in the distance.”

Question: Could you give us more details on the episode where Brennan gets shot on Bones? Please! —Faye Ausiello: The February installment unfolds as follows, per exec producer Stephen Nathan: “Brennan is working on a case that someone does not want her to solve. And in their attempt to prevent her from doing that, she gets shot and has a near-death experience where she meets her mother again.” The family “reunion” forces Brennan to take a good hard look at her belief system. “This is the further evolution of Brennan’s character,” explains Nathan. “She is somebody who has been so literal, so rational and so reasonable; she wants everything to be explained. And now she is having an experience that is inexplicable, so she has to admit that there are things that are not explainable. As much as she tries to discount it and dismiss it, it changes her and makes her a bit more open to the world.”

Question: What’s the biggest scoop on Bones (Booth and Brennan, maybe?) you have at the moment? —ElenaAusiello: Piggybacking on the above spoiler (which was pretty big, IMHO), Nathan says Brennan’s heavenly run-in with her mom will give viewers insight into “what she was like as a kid, before she became the Brennan that we know. She picks up the relationship with her mother where it left off.”

Question: The Nikita fandom is imploding over what appears to be Alex kissing Michael in the promo for the next episode. Care to shed some light before anyone else sheds blood? —KatAusiello: I can confirm that there’s a kiss. I can also confirm that there’s a twist. As exec producer Craig Silverstein explains, the lip-lock takes place during a mission — in other words, it’s more business than pleasure. That said, “It’s a very cute scene,” he shares, “because they both don’t want to do it.”

Question: It kills me that more people aren’t watching Happy Endings. Not sure what my question is, but there you have it. —JoshuaAusiello: Reading between the lines, I’m thinking your question was, “Can I please have some Happy Endings scoop?” And my answer is… yes! In an upcoming episode, Dave is forced to make a major decision about his career, so naturally, he consults a tarot card reader. But what the reader couldn’t have predicted — and by “reader,” I mean you, Joshua, not the tarot card reader — is that, though Dave walks in skeptical, he walks out as big a believer as Alex. Or, that is, as big a believer as Alex was when she walked in. When she walks out, she’s skeptical! (It’s very complicated, you see!)

Question: Any Castle news? —GabriellaAusiello: “It’s every man’s worst nightmare,” show boss Andrew Marlowe explains, when Castle’s ex-wife Meredith (Scandal‘s Darby Stanchfield) not only resurfaces in the next new episode (airing Jan. 7), but crashes at his place to tend to a sick Alexis. Especially since Kate is also at the time bunking with Rick, who famously has/had a habit of indulging in “ex sex” — and old habits perhaps die hard for one of the former marrieds. “Castle has kind of dug his own grave and spends the episode trying to dig himself out of it,” Marlowe previews. “It’s also interesting to see everybody else’s take on things.” For in addition to RySposito sounding off on the sticky sitch, “You have Lanie saying to Beckett, ‘Girl, you have got to claim your territory!'”

Question: I’m still looking for NCIS scoop. —LynAusiello: One of the possible titles for CBS’ in-the-works NCIS: LA spinoff is NCIS: Red. Anyone know how that ties into the mobile unit premise? Not being snarky — I really want to know. (And please don’t make me do the research. I have Christmas presents to buy for myself.)

Question: Do you have some scoops about CSI: NY? —BryanAusiello: Fans of “Flovato” (aka Detectives Flack and Lovato) should find themselves quite happy with the next new episode back, airing Jan. 4.

Question: It’s been quite a while since you’ve given us anything on How I Met Your Mother. How about a little something? –RebeccaAusiello: Reports of a Robin Sparkles comeback have not been greatly exaggerated. EP Carter Bays confirms that Scherbat’s ’90s alter ego will resurface in a big way in the Monday, Feb. 4 episode. “We [wanted to see] the next step in the progression that took her from Robin Sparkles to who she is today,” he previews. “What dominoes had to fall to get her from there to here?” Bays teases that viewers will be exposed to “a darker, edgier Robin Sparkles,” adding, “We’re going to see her rebellious side come out.”

Question: I was wondering if you have any scoop on The Lying Game. — KristiAusiello: In fact, I do — straight from showrunner Chuck Pratt. “Laurel’s music will propel her into the beginning of the season,” he says, “but then Laurel’s going to take on a whole new dynamic in the show. She’ll become more of a force and an equal with Mads. She and Emma really start to bond, too, which will cause Emma problems because she’s lying to her.” If it sounds like the boss is a Laurel fan, it should. “One of our goals was to bring her to more of the forefront and really feature her this season,” he admits, “because we just think the world of [her portrayer] Allie Gonino.”

Question: I need some Hart of Dixie news involving Zade (Zoe and Wade). Hit me with your best shot. —KrisAusiello: You may end up trading Zade for Jade, if Travis Van Winkle catches on as Lemon and Brick’s cousin — and Wade’s potential competition for Zoe — Jonah. “He is a really fun character — a conceited, arrogant Southern boy,” teases exec producer Leila Gerstein. “You can think of him as a young Brick Breeland. He gets in Zoe’s face, and there’s conflict ahead.” And even further ahead, potentially romance. But, Gerstein swears, “There won’t be anything like that, certainly, for awhile.”

Question: I was devastated to see Amber and Ryan break up on Parenthood! Is Matt Lauria done on the show, or is there still hope? —MeghanAusiello: We have not seen the last of Ryan this season. Not by a long-shot.

Question: Time for a weekday update, Seriously?! Edition (insert Seth Meyers and Amy Pohler voices). Seriously Aus, where’s the love for The Vampire Diaries? —SydneyAusiello: Have you looked in your local roller disco? Because that may be where the show is headed. Though exec producer Julie Plec hastens to note that nothing is set in stone, she does admit, “We’re just now writing a script which, in a perfect world, will take us back to the ’70s in New York City. Everything could change, but it’s an era we haven’t explored yet. It could be a lot of fun.” Especially since she adds that “it’ll definitely involve our brothers in some form or another.” Cue the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 3, 2, 1…

Question: I am enjoying this season of The Vampire Diaries, but the one thing it needs is Katherine back! Any chance that’s happening anytime soon? —AliAusiello: “That elusive vixen is still somehow lurking in the shadows,” teases Plec, “but keeping herself well hidden… Given Klaus’ continued presence in Mystic Falls, we shall see if we’ll be able to get her back into town.” Scram, Klaus!

Question: Any Parks and Rec scoop?! —JulieAusiello: Jerry’s retirement is on hold! “To be honest, we don’t have any specific plans” for him to pack it in, showrunner Mike Schur tells my colleague, Megan Masters. “It’s always been in the back of our head… as a chip to play, but I’m not sure we’re going to play it this year.” Hallelujah!

Question: January seems a lifetime away. Any Grey’s Anatomy scoop on Jackson/April to tide me over until then? —AlexAusiello: I’m going to answer your question with a question of my own: What do you think of April and [Spoiler] as a couple? I’m not saying Grey’s is going there, mind you. I’m just wondering what you think of them (i.e. They’re most likely going there. Maybe.)

Question: Too early to be asking for Sons of Anarchy scoop? —Joel Ausiello: The fifth season just ended. The first episode of the sixth season hasn’t even been broken, let alone written. And it won’t air until next fall. I guess what I’m trying to say is, no, it’s not too early. “You can get ready for another reset for Clay next year,” speculates Ron Perlman. “What it is, I don’t know. But I would guess that Season 6 is going to very much be an exploration of [Clay and Jax] changing places. [Clay] goes on some sort of journey of retribution, while [Jax] watches his aspirations disintegrate right in front of his eyes, even if he can’t see it.” Perlman is quick to note that, “Every time I’ve tried to guess where [series creator] Kurt [Sutter] is going, I’ve been wrong. But it’s fun to play the game.”

Question: No question – just want to say Happy Holidays and thanks for all you do! —FrankAusiello: No thanks needed. Unless it comes in the form of a vegan burrito. I’m starving. But seriously, you’re welcome. And to prove how very welcome you are, I have a present for you — one last scooplet from this, the final AA of 2012! A major female character on an hour drama is getting killed off this spring. That’s it. That’s all you’re getting. (Hey, I didn’t say it was a good present.) Happy holidays!

Japril all the way. HOWEVER, I know that no couple on Grey’s has a smooth run of it, and I was waiting for Shonda to do something. So, in the meantime, I really would be okay with a temporary April/Shane pairing. I can’t help but root for Shane, he’s by far my favorite of the new interns (and Gaius Charles is such as charismatic actor). The scene where Shane showed back up the next day to help April with “lumps and bumps” was sweet.

IA, April and Jackson are going to be great, but we know they’ve got to have a long, hard journey to get there.

My impression from Grey’s is that April was still caught up in her girlish dreams of the perfect, virginal wedding and didn’t truly appreciate Jackson and the relationship they could have had. I wanted to see her trying to date the extremely religious men she thinks she wants. From his flirty banter with the other interns, Shane doesn’t seem to fit that bill. I do like Shane and he seems like a decent romantic partner. I simply don’t think he would provide the proper amount of heartache that April needs for karmic balance.

I guess it could work ok though, much like the Mark/Lexie/Jackson triangle, where Jackson was the nice guy Lexie tried to use to get over Mark, except that everyone could see that it was simply never going to work.

Can’t wait for this Castle episode! Sounds like it’s going to be a ton of fun. I’d love nothing more than to see Beckett claim her territory, although I’m pretty certain it will be Castle’s ex (and not him) who wants to engage in ex-sex.

If they kill off Elena (preferably in some horrible gruesome way) and replace her with Katherine as the lead, that’s the one thing that might get me to start watching TVD again (I quit after last season because it had become downright painful). And they wouldn’t even have to change the cast any!

I wish they’d do that! I hate Elena but love Katherine, so it’s not Nina Dobrev’s fault, it’s the writers’. I would be even happier if Elena was pushed to the side so Caroline could be the main character.

@Mikael -I thought I was the only one who felt that way! LOVE Katherine! Here’s hoping Jeremy becomes such a badass hunter he can’t be stopped and makes good on his threat to kill Elena. And Babybop is right, a girl can dream. I’m praying for a new love interest for Stefan. PLEASE! Or an old one. He couldn’t have been a monk. Surely he’s been with more then just Katherine and Rebekah.

Me too! Stefan definitely needs a new love interest…or even an old one that we don’t know about. And this is coming from a Stelena fan. I just don’t want to see Elena with Stefan anymore. He should be with someone else for a change. Also, mark me down as one who’d love to see Elena be killed. She’s become intolerable.

Sometimes Ausiello’s blind items are not that surprising or big. Witness the “Who is Pregnant” recently. Anyone in the know of the spoilers. Knew it was Meredith of Grey’s Anatomy. Now someone dying is a big one. But given Grey’s Anatomy upcoming death. Sometimes it might not be surprising!

I think I know it too…mainly because a certain British show that has already aired there will be starting back up in January here and there is a major female character death coming on that, if I’m not mistaken…and January counts toward being called “this spring” since most spring season starts are in January.

Yeah but I don’t think that’s what he is referring to because that did technically already happen, plus as important as she is, and granted we haven’t seen the season yet, but is she technically major? Although Ausillio didn’t say “network,” and if it is a network show or a cable show he usually says, and since the show you are referring to isn’t really aired on a channel that is strictly either type, maybe that is what he is saying. Although i’m not sure that death comes late enough in the season to really be considered spring. Which also dampens my theory that it is Kristina on Parenthood, because their season is ending in Jan or Feb I think. So maybe it’s a show that kills people off on the regular, like a procedural or TVD or Grey’s (because apparently Shonda Rhimes thinks we won’t be hoked by the drama, unless people are constantly dying).

I am dying for april and (spoiler) to be a couple! I have suggested this a couple of weeks ago before they started interacting (because this is seattle grace and inappropriate relationships are the life of the place)!!!

I agree! It’s the last show I watch each week. And I have to force myself even then to watch it! Elena’s character is being ruined. The plots are terrible and Damon is a booty-call not a real contender. The show has become boring and if it doesn’t change directions, I will probably delete it from my dvr!

I’m seriously considering striking TVD off my list of shows I’m hopelessly behind on (which also include Castle, Scandal, and Elementary). Arghh. The only dramas I watched regularly this fall were Dexter, Fringe, Person of Interest, Arrow, and Walking Dead. And Justified, Shameless and Suits are all coming back in January. And so many other shows I’ve been wanting to check out. Yeah, this is the end, TVD. Sorry.

Exactly! I used to love everything. Now, it’s just the appearance of beloved Caroline Forbes that can make me stay in front of TV. Damon’s wittiness just annoy me so much. Stefan and Klaus’ loner vibe is boring. And Elena, well it is Elena.

I should be excited about Perlmans speculation but that means more Jax manpain journaling, voice-over b.s that I’m so darn tired of now. Although seeing Clay undo all or some of Jax’s plans would be delightful :)

I don’t very much it’s Ziva. Cote’s contract is up this year. She’s the off year from the rest of the gang due to her starting in year 3. But still unless she wants off. She seems happy with the show. And the show would be foolish to get rid of Ziva. You don’t replace yet another female in year 10 unless you have to! If Ausiello knows it already. I bet it’s one of the shorter seasons shows. Cable shows. Given NCIS prominance, it’s not them. Since next to Abby, they only have one prominent female.

It wouldn’t be the same though (and even if it was, Sarah probably doesn’t see it as a mistake considering she loves her kids) because they could make Ryan different than Seth. He could be there for Amber and the baby. She could not even have the baby (miscarriage, abortion, adoption, who knows). I would just like the plot of a pregnant Amber, don’t know why = P.

This motive why Katherine doesn’t come back is the lamest excuse ever. As if Klaus would be concerned with Katherine while so many important things are happening there…
(btw, if he gets the cure, he can cure Elena AND Katherine and have two different doppelgangers to donate blood to him…if he still wants to make more hybrids after last episode).

If we could have Katherine come back and slaughter Klaus in some fantastically wicked way, I would actually start watching TVD again. Of course, that’ll never happen in a million years. (They could easily solve the problem of Nina’s workload by killing off Elena!)

Oh, how I wish they would kill Klaus! And if it was Katherine killing him, it would be perfect. She deverses to get her revenge after what he did to her and her family. But she is not the only one who lost people she cared about because of Klaus… maybe, it could be something done in group?

In the books Elena *does* die… but then she comes back to life and has special powers ( those stupid sailour moon wings powers *shudders*).

I think more people aren’t watching Happy Endings because it’s not funny anymore. It started off as a smart comedy and has since devolved into a hot mess of cartoony garbage that leaves me feeling annoyed rather than entertained. It’s a real shame this has happened, I think it can go back to it’s original fun self but it’ll probably take a miracle.

personally i’ve been pretty disappointed with the current season so far. I watched episodes in the first 2 seasons repeatedly however so far I haven’t gotten the desire to re-watch any of the aired episodes :( hoping the season turns around come january

i love tvd. i love katherine. but if they get rid of klaus i am so done with show. the triangle is played out and klaus being the reason katherine stays away? please.. he has more important pursuits. best character on the show. those 2 onscreen together in s2 were awesome.

Jeez, haven’t we had enough of Brennan’s childhood and the trauma of being left by her parents? Let’s get on with her life now, raising a child, building on her relationship with Booth, it’s time she’s moved on. zzzzzzzzzz

I agree. I don’t mind learning about her childhood; knowing what baby Brennan was like might be interesting – she can’t have always been her strange, but loveable, self. But the way they’re doing it… I don’t like it. A near-death experience where she sees her mother just seems so…unrealistic, to me. I’m sure it has happened in real life before, but… I don’t know.

And besides; it’s been a long time since then. A little stick in every once in awhile isn’t bad; but I whole episode devoted to it (or however much of the episode. :/) is going a little too far. Oh well. Hopefully the next few episodes will focus more on everyone’s lives as they are now.

This is a link for Ausiello think the movie Sneakers which is one of my favorites. “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Cell” Red Teams or Red Cells are U.S. government parlance for the National Security Co-ordination Team (NSCT), these teams or units are designed to test the effectiveness of U.S. tactics or personnel.

Just had an awesome idea! What if this whole not bring kathrine back because of klaus is a coy on the producers part! Bam new theory: life goes on as it is in mystic falls; they search for the cure, they find the cure, and then…either 1) somehow kathrine gets hold of the cure and takes it herself or 2) they pull the whole switch up senario and kathrine pretends to be Elena and is given the cure. She becomes human and then Stefan falls in love with her and damon gets Elena.

Ash, Wow I’ve never even thought about Katherine and the cure until now. Now that you mention all of this I could actually see it happening lol and it could be interesting if Katherine gets the cure over Elena.

I am most emphatically NOT a fan of “Flovato” (CSI: NY). So Flack has a relationship with a female police partner, falls in love and loses her when she’s shot. Followign that, their big idea on the show is to have him fall for… wait for it… a female police partner? Really? That’s as creative as they get?

Rolling my eyes at the Castle news. I wish Andrew Marlowe would realize that he has a very good show, especially now that Castle and Beckett are together, and doesn’t need this kind of cheap storyline.

Agreed. I don’t think they’re using CB’s relationship to its full potential, at all. If there’s a conflict between the two, why can’t it be an interesting and mature one. It’s only 10 episodes into season 5 and already 3 episodes heavily feature Beckett jealous and doubting Castle’s faithfulness to her. I wouldn’t mind so much if it was being handled a bit more maturely and consistently, but it’s not. Also, they need to have Beckett return the “I love you” ASAP. It’s becoming this season’s elephant in the room and if they leave it for the season finale, it just won’t have the same impact that it would now.

Since Castle was a notorious player, it only makes sense to do some episodes about his journey to a committed boyfriend. Most people have ex’s so everyone has to deal with it in some way. And since the “deep fried twinkie” was such a hoot in season 1, I’m glad she’s back even if only for one episode. And I love Lanie’s advice!

Sorry but I hope Ausiello is very wrong in terms of April and Shane becoming a couple. They have absolutely no chemistry together romantically. Jackson and April have so much chemistry and they have been building them up for the first have of the season that it would be a major let down for April to just end up hooling up with Shane. No way should this happen! Jackson and April are MFEO

I don’t understand all this Klaus makes TVD now? I mean I like Klaus and the actor but really Klaus still obsesses over his lame hybrids. I really think what TVD needs is a new villain and some new shocking deaths. Obviously the main 3 won’t die but anyone else yeah not that I want it but at least it be shocking and shake things up a bit

It seems to me the HIMYM has another reoccurring theme of “daddy issues”. Barney grew up with no dad and once he found him and confronted then he seemed to want to settle down first Nora than Quinn and now finally Robin. Lilly’s dad pretty much was never around and kinda abandoned her when she finally let him backin she found out that he really loved her and was the one who raises her when she was little. Marshall was the one who had a good relationship with his dad except the sharing of way TMI buthe had to deal with his death. I’m not sure of Ted’s daddy issues but I only remember his dad from like one episode back in season 1. Robin has a lot of issues with her dad the top beign he think of her as a boy. I bet she gets to resolve some issue this second half of the season. Sorry way to long.

THANK YOU!!! This is what I’ve been saying! Even though I love Stefan, I’d be fine with an Elena/Damon relationship, if the writers bothered to SELL IT and make it believable! Elena breaking up with Stefan then hopping straight into bed with his brother is just sooooo OOC. Can’t buy it. Sire bond or no sire bond. Her character is ruined.

Thank you, I have been feeling the same way. I acutally read a post by a Damon fanatic who was upset that Stefan wasn’t happy for Damon that he finally got his true love. Never mind Stefan and Elena broke up like 5 minutes ago and she immediately jumped into bed with his brother. It was a major slutty move on both Damon and Elena’s part.

How anyone could possibly think for a second that Stefan would applaud Damon for automatically jumping into bed with his ex RIGHT after he and Elena broke up, is beyond me…they’re a few crayons short of a full box. I know I wouldn’t be happy about it. It amazes me how some fans think Stefan is horrible for being upset about his brother and Elena having sex so soon. It’d be weird if he was jumping for joy, lol. Because of all this and the stupid sire bond bull, they’ve totally destroyed the character, Elena, for me.